Is there such a universe?

Gödel has notions that are simply bizarre. The circularity of time works mathematically but it will never deal with meeting your dead grandfather. His notions about God. I just put his platonism in the same box. But it wouldnt stay there. Rather slowly it sank in that this is Gödel we’re talking about and while he could have goofy notions about all sorts of things could he really have goofy notions about mathematics?

And what did you conclude?

I’m still concluding.

Which way are you leaning?

I’ve gone back and re-read the 1931 papers twice. The last time I re-read them I dreamt about them. I dreamt about the second paper. And I woke up and as I woke up the dream began to dissolve. The dream and the story of the dream. And I knew that in the dream was an understanding that was simply a gift and it was receding in the darkness and I sat up in bed and called out after it but it simply fell to pieces in my mind and after that I saw the insights of the paper in a very different way but I dont know if the dream is any part of that understanding and I suspect I never will.

Were there numbers in the dream?

Of course that’s the question, isnt it? No there were not. The dream consisted entirely of understanding.

I’m not sure I understand that. But it was never coming back.

It was never coming back.

Your view of things changed.

Yes. I began to have doubts about my heretofore material view of the universe.

Was this something that came about slowly?

I dont know. I dont know what slowly is. Gödel talks about several mathematicians who had transformative experiences. I suppose I should look them up. He never had such an experience. I think he might have been jealous. I think the dream is still there. I think it knows whether or not it should revisit me. Or me it. Gödel likes to complain about people not understanding his Indeterminacy papers. I re-read them and I saw that he was probably right. I hadnt understood them.

Do you understand them now?

Define understand.

All right. Moving on. You think that math is done by the unconscious.

Yes. I dont know any math. I just try to get it written down when it shows up.

I think that must be something of an exaggeration.

Maybe. Something. Why is this interesting to you?

Because it is to you. How long ago was the dream?

The night before last.

No it wasnt.

Six months ago. Maybe seven.

If the dream…What was the word? Revisited you? If you could remember the dream would you tell me?

I dont know. I’d have to take a look at it. What if it was obscene?

Obscene mathematics.

Sure. Why not?

So what was it that you understood?

Vis-à-vis Gödel?

Vis-à-vis.

I think I saw what he saw. That finding the limits of a system was not just finding the limits. It was finding what lay beyond the limits. You just had to find the limits first.